NIST Standards

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is one of the oldest physical science laboratories in the U.S. NIST measurements support the smallest of technologies–nanoscale devices so tiny that tens of thousands can fit on the end of a single human hair–to the largest and most complex of human-made creations, from earthquake–resistant skyscrapers to wide-body jetliners to global communication networks. Before long, NIST was producing standard samples, now called Standard Reference Materials (SRMs), for hundreds of products and materials. Today, NIST produces more than 1,300 different types of SRMs for several areas, such as industrial raw materials, physical properties, Clinical Chemistry, environment, food and agriculture.